Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Though this was the night before we left Moshi, John and his "boyfriends" had a Scotch tasting night. For John, this was interesting but he is not a scotch drinker and was happy to taste but not drink...he is all for the next one to be a Gin tasting. We will be able to top it with some of our local Durham brews.While he was required to be home at a reasonable time to avoid D..I...V...O...R...C..E, so that any things that he wanted to be packed were at the bags, he had a great time with our good friends and I was glad that I had the packing excuse not to be bitter about it being a "men only" evening. I do understand that some of the guys spent the night at Greg's. I think our Johnny Walker Green was selected as the best Blend.

Quite a lot happened our last week in Moshi and all were amazing. First, I was given our housekeeper's daughter's grades (Anjela) whom we have supported in school since she was in Kindergarten. She is at a very challenging Secondary School now going to second year. But here are her grades.

Look at 48th in a class of 149!

Anjela-- look 31 out of 156!

When you think of where Anjela came from, this is amazing. I want a shout out to Terrie Emmanuel who helped Anjela with Math, and it was tough, and then to her mom for supporting her and seeking the best for her, and being willing to give her up to boarding school, and a good one as well.

I am always intrigued with our animals in our yard. We have had a bit of rain in Moshi and the chickens and Ducks are thrilled with a bit of freedom. I just love to watch them. I am very partial to Charlie, but you have to admit that Redneck and his sort of modest buddy are quite handsome and interesting...and that the Duck..don't know...Hob Knob or something are fascinating. I could actually watch them all day.

Charlie

Hob Knob

Red Neck and Pauli's normal rooster

So, here we are and you see this crazy rooster.. her he is, Mr. Redneck.

But there have been some amazing changes in the law and one of them was that all students who had taken out student loans, in just one day had them changed from payback of 5% to 15%. I fear that wll significantly reduce the number of Medical Students that we have. If they cannot get jobs, maybe it is the right thing???? I don't know.

So I also spent a day with my friend Sylvie in Machame and here is a letter from her father about the East African Malaria Institute and it is so interesting. Try to read it if you can.

So, then we had a last hash, which followed the marathon. It was an amazing day...beautiful, and then pouring rain and then beautiful and then pouring rain. The marathon runners drank beer while those of us did not, we paid the price by being soaked and cold and dragging through the mud. Wild but the beer tasted mighty fine at the end.

It was a beautiful hash.
So, I have shout outs----

Hollo helped me throughout the Marathon sign up for the youth cab with a smile and a helping hand. She helped to call people who signed and didn't show, and she tried, sadly albeit in vain to keep us in the line at the registration. She is a lovely woman and this year ran 5 instead of 21. But she could definitely have done either.

So as we were ready to leave Moshi, we had drama in our Nyambani.... the "menace" that has been killing all Pauli's ducks. I have seen this Mongoose running with baby ducks in its mouth. They call it a kicheche, but the kicheche is actually a chervil cat, but here is the trap that Pauli set and the face of this mongoose.

I think about Riki Tiki Tavi, and his help, and yet I have seen this mongoose grabbing baby ducks and running across the yard with the helpless babies in their mouths. I have to let it go.

So here is my new wet suit. I will totally ready for swimming in Moshi. I have to admit, it is heavy and big, but it will work for sure!